Anthony's Diamond (Anthony Bridgerton Fanfic)

15. Conversations and Chaperones

"Veronica!" Anna knocks on my door dragging me out of my numb thoughts, "Veronica can we talk?" She repeats. 

"What is it?" I ask as I open up the door, my voice flat and demanding.

"I wanted to make sure you were alright," She explains cradling her youngest child in her arms as she coos in her deep sleep.

"I- I don't know. I guess I am, but I don't know," I reply slightly smiling at the sight of my niece.

"May I come in? We could talk about it. Talk about tomorrow..."

"Sure," I reply with slight hesitation as I open my door all the way motioning for Anna to enter, "Come on in,"

"So shall we talk about your mother or would you like to wait for that subject?" Anna asks taking a seat at one of my armchairs, still cradling baby Monica.

"I don't know what there is to say about it. I'm terrified of loosing her. She is my closest friend, this procedure was a major risk, one that if I was a man I could stop from occurring. This procedure could kill her 10 times faster and nobody besides me has considered how dangerous it could be, even when it goes against a physician's warnings," I gasp.

"Your family made this decision with love. Though it seems reckless it is just your father's attempt to save his wife's life. I know it may be hard to realize but it's the truth, even if we cannot agree with it," Anna weakly smiles as baby Monica begins to wake.

  "May I?" I ask offering to hold my niece.

  "Of course," Anna replies carefully handing me the baby.

  "She is so beautiful," I comment cradling the little angel, "So gentle and pure,"

  "She is isn't she," Anna confirms, "You're a natural. Daisy and Bethany love you more than the moon and Monica always calms down in your arms. You will be a great Mother some day,"

  "Yeah?" I reply blushing slightly.

  "Yes, indeed," Anna chuckles, "Now what else shall we talk about?"

   Hesitating for a second before letting the words fall from my lips I finally say the one thing that has been truly invading my mind, "I think i'm in love Anna,"

  "Are you serious?" Anna gasps.

  "Yes..." I whisper as my face burns bright red.

  "In love with who?"

  "Lord Anthony Bridgerton," I croak nervous to hear her reaction.

  "I thought he was the one you ran away from last night. Now you are in love with him?"

  "Yes... it's complicated," I sigh.

  "I have time. So why don't you explain,"

  "Don't tell Ryder please," I beg receiving a nod from my sister in law, "So yesterday when I was supposed to just be at the park painting I actually went with Lady Danbury to the Bridgerton estate,"

"And?" Anna interrupts excited to hear about something else other than her children's arguments.

"Well I was originally there to see Eloise, because we are becoming good friends and I just wanted to make sure she wasn't angry with me. She ended up not being upset so that was good but that's not the point. The point is when I first got there I decided to go wait in their back yard area. I waited for Eloise but instead Lord Bridgerton noticed me outside and came to apologize in a weird way?"

"And?" Anna asks again.

"Well we argued for a minute but then I don't know what happened. If kind of came out that I have feeling for him and well... I think he feels the same in some strange way?" I whisper, my words becoming quieter by the second as I purposely ignore the subject of our kiss.